With only two weeks* left of Living Lantern in Boston, near Downtown Crossing, here is a quick post, urging you to get there if you can. At least I hope the quotes, notes, and photos convey the most compelling features of this fascinating installation. *through March 30

“Designed as an inviting artwork, the kinectic and light installation Living Lantern, offers a sense of hope and joy, and activates public space in a unique way. Light, color and form come together to create a sensory experience that connects to our emotions for a salutary meditative pause.” ( quote from WINTERACTIVE: Living Lantern )

““The Living Lantern” is a kinetic / light installation. It has a dynamic, wind responsive outer membrane that opens and closes to filter the light from its core. Visitors are invited to spend time observing the lantern change.” (quote from NEON Studio: Living Lantern)

“Made in collaboration with design practice NEON and light artist Frankie Boyle Studio, The Living Lantern’s components fit together like a jigsaw puzzle on-site, allowing it to be installed and uninstalled with relative ease as tourable artwork. Elliott Wood helped refine the design of the interlocking CNC-milled plywood frame for the artwork and ensured that its engineering was structurally sound in external environments”. (quote from Elliot Wood Engineering Projects ) First intalled in 2021: Australia, then Tiawan, Greece, NYC…

“The monumental structure is constantly evolving, adapting in response to natural elements, whose force we cannot control. The wind fuels organic movements which in turn bring the structure to life. At night, the visual effect is heightened by animated light sequences which infuse the space with flowing colors.“( quote from WINTERACTIVE: Living Lantern )

“Frankie Boyle is an Experiential Artist specialising in Immersive and Experiential works, with a unique focus on light and colour theory. Born with a speech and language disorder, as well as dyslexia, Boyle has developed a heightened receptivity to light and a profound understanding of human behaviour. This, together with over a decade of experience working in the event and lighting world, has made her renowned for creating installations and experiences that take audiences on emotional journeys of introspection.” (quote from Frankie Boyle Studio )

“Lanterns are a universal symbol of brightness, transcendence and guiding light. In various cultures they are viewed as symbols of love, wisdom and illumination. Lanterns symbolise the inner light that guides the soul through periods of darkness with the promise of a new day. They remind us of our ability to find our way in the world and speak to our innate inner strength.” (quote from NEON Studio: Living Lantern )

“NEON is an award-winning design practice based in the UK. The studio was founded to investigate the territory between architecture, art and design. We have worked on projects ranging in scale from objects up to monumental art installations.” ( quote from NEON Studio )

*“WINTERACTIVE: Downtown Boston’s Outdoor Winter Art Exhibition, January 15–March 30, 2025: Join us for the second year of WINTERACTIVE, a free, walkable art experience featuring more than 15 artworks and interactive play elements, presented by the Downtown Boston Alliance.” (quote from WINTERACTIVE 2025)

KEY RESOURCES

Winteractive: Living Lantern: https://www.winteractive.org/#living-lantern

Frankie Boyle Studio: https://www.frankieboylestudio.com/

NEON Studio: https://www.neon.uk/#/the-living-lantern/

Elliot Wood Engineering: Living Lantern https://www.elliottwood.co.uk/latest/the-living-lantern-art-installation-illuminates-new-york-city